Cater-Waiter-Fundraiser.
Years ago, I was the fundraiser for the Children’s Museum of Portsmouth. The executive director’s husband was the head of the Japan-America Society in New Hampshire. Whenever a new consul from Japan arrived in Boston, just an hour south, they would host the consul and spouse for a dinner in their home.
Well, the new consul was instated and the dinner was planned. My boss asked me if I would be willing to help her out and cater a dinner for them, while Mark and their daughter could help me serve. It sounded like a blast to me, so I said yes. Cater-Waiter-Fundraiser.
I opted to create a meal with Japanese-style presentation (small portions, beautifully presented), and Markipedia suggested featuring American ingredients. I used North, Central, and South American ingredients: Pacific wild salmon, Maine scallops, pumpkin, tomatoes, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, beans, and blueberries. The dinner was a tremendous success, especially since the consul and his wife were foodies and loved the flavors and presentation.
Today’s recipe is what I created for the first course for that dinner: Sweet Potato and Scallop Napoleons with chipotle mayonnaise. While small, three per person is just the right amount, as they are quite rich. I recently made them for a Bastille Day Zoom dinner with Susan & Towny of Provence WineZine fame, and we paired them with an exquisite rosé from Clos Cibonne. Please head over to their site and learn about this wonderful wine.
~ David
Sweet Potato and Scallop Napoleons
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Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons puréed chipotle chile in adobo, or to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup salad oil
- 18 slices peeled sweet potato, 1/8-inch thick
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 6 large sea scallops, sliced horizontally and patted dry
- snipped chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the mayonnaise the day before to give time for the flavors to meld. Place egg, lemon juice, vinegar, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and chipotle chile in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Season with salt and pepper. Purée by pulsing together several times. Then, with the motor running, add the salad oil in a very thin stream through the feed tube until used up. The mayonnaise will have come together by this point. Scrape into a jar, cover, and refrigerate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Brush both sides of the sweet potato slices lightly with the melted butter and arrange on the parchment. (I chose to cut out the sweet potato slices with a round cookie cutter approximately the same diameter as the scallops. This makes for consistency in the plating, but isn’t necessary.) Salt the tops lightly. Bake 10 minutes, checking after 8 minutes to make sure they don’t brown.
- In a medium skillet, melt the remaining tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Season sliced scallops with salt. Sear the scallops on both sides until lightly golden. Remove from the skillet and let drain on paper towels, allowing them to cool somewhat.
- Arrange three sweet potato slices on each of two serving plates. Add 1/2 teaspoon chipotle mayonnaise to each, then top them with seared scallop slices. Repeat this layering, ending with a sweet potato slice. Top with a small dollop of the mayonnaise and a sprinkle of snipped chives.
- Makes 6 napoleons, serving 2.
- PS: Any leftover mayonnaise is fabulous on just about anything!
© 2026 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Karen (Back Road Journal)
August 2, 2025 at 5:39 amWho could restist this delicious sounding and oh so pretty appetizer.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 2, 2025 at 8:16 amThanks, Karen — it is a wonderful way to start a meal!
Mad Dog
August 2, 2025 at 6:07 amThey look beautiful and I bet they taste amazing!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 2, 2025 at 8:17 amThe combination of flavors and textures is pretty wonderful, Mad Dog!
angiesrecipes
August 2, 2025 at 6:18 amSuch a creative and pretty appetizer! I have to try that chipotle mayonnaise!!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 2, 2025 at 8:17 amWe use chipotle mayonnaise in so many recipes, Angie — tomorrow it’s a shrimp, corn, and avocado salad using the mayo to pull it together.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
August 2, 2025 at 7:07 amWhat a creative idea – great combination of flavours and it looks elegant, too!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 2, 2025 at 8:18 amThanks, Ben — I love making elegant and flavorful dishes!
Mimi Rippee
August 2, 2025 at 7:14 amMy god man. You are patient! These are beautiful. And delicious!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 2, 2025 at 8:19 amPatient? Not really… the most patience required is waiting for the scallops to cool enough so it doesn’t melt the mayonnaise and make everything slide off!
Barb
August 2, 2025 at 7:37 amWhat a brilliant combination, and the mayo sounds incredible! The Clos Cibonne Rosé sounds perfect to accompany the scallops and sweet potatoes.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 2, 2025 at 8:20 amThanks, Barb — this has been a favorite of ours for decades. I can’t believe I hadn’t posted it yet!
Ronit Penso
August 2, 2025 at 11:36 amWhat a great combination! So creative and beautifully presented. I can see so many ways of using the chipotle mayo. Hope to try it soon. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
August 3, 2025 at 11:16 amThanks, Ronit — I appreciate your kind comments. The mayonnaise is a wonderful condiment — I love it with shrimp, avocado and basil salad!
Eha Carr
August 2, 2025 at 2:54 pmSimple ingredients put together in such an innovative way – love the plating and know I would love the taste . . . Mark and you have been ‘into food’ a long time, no wonder the results are so individualistic . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
August 3, 2025 at 11:17 amThanks, Eha — as you know, I love simplicity as much as I love complicated recipes!
sherry
August 2, 2025 at 5:38 pmthese sound absolutely brilliant and so creative, David. And what an interesting life you have led 🙂
cheers
sherry
Cocoa & Lavender
August 3, 2025 at 11:17 amThanks, Sherry — I’ve had a lot of fun in my 66 years! Never a dull moment!
FEL!X
August 2, 2025 at 5:57 pmJust wonderful – the combination of the ingredients and the presentation!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 3, 2025 at 11:18 amThanks, Felix — I love to plate things in a way that makes them artful!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
August 4, 2025 at 11:14 amSounds like an amazing meal fit for a king! And this starter is a real work of culinary art.
David Scott Allen
August 5, 2025 at 10:17 amI should have given the entire menu< Frank. It was a re3ally fun dinner and I still make quite a few of the recipes on a regular basis.
Jeff the Chef
August 5, 2025 at 4:01 amDavid, you are so skillfull and creative!
David Scott Allen
August 5, 2025 at 10:14 amAnd you, Jeff, are very kind. Thanks!
Evening With A Sandwich
August 7, 2025 at 6:37 amDavid, first was a great opportunity to showcase your talent for such a worthy cause. Second, perfect appetizer-scallop and sweet potato, and interesting combination of flavor and texture. Love it!
David Scott Allen
August 9, 2025 at 11:50 amThanks, Velva — I love the combination of sweet potato and chipotle — the scallops were just a fun addition!
Valentina
August 7, 2025 at 9:44 amHow flattering to be asked to cater this dinner. And fun that Mark was there helping, too. This is a beautiful first course, and I hope you’ll be sharing the rest of the meal. I love the use of the chipotles in adobo — excellent with the sweetness of the scallop and potato. 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
August 9, 2025 at 11:49 amI was truly honored, Valentina — I have already posted the salmon recipe (with a pumpkin vinaigrette) but I should do thew trio of soup shooters — yellow bell pepper with bay, tomato with thyme, and sweet pea with cream.
Raymund
August 7, 2025 at 5:07 pmWhat a cool story! Love how you blended American ingredients with Japanese-style presentation, that kind of thoughtful fusion always impresses.
David Scott Allen
August 9, 2025 at 11:48 amIt was truly a fun dinner to create. I need to post more of the recipes!
Inger
August 9, 2025 at 9:46 amMy fishmonger recently had giant scallops which would have been so much fun for this (you wouldn’t have needed 3/person!). Love the chipotle mayonnaise as a perfect Southwest finish!
David Scott Allen
August 9, 2025 at 11:42 amWell, if they were that large, three could easily be a main course!
2pots2cook
August 12, 2025 at 7:59 amDavid, you are geniuses ! ! !
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2025 at 2:46 pmAww, thanks Davorka… I blush!